Saturday, September 24, 2011

Q: In the Bhagwad Geeta, Lord Krishna says, ‘Yada Yada Hi Dharmasya ...Sambhavami Yuge Yuge.’ Please elaborate on that.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The atma shakti (power of the Self) that destroys the evil and preserves the satva (purity) appears again and again. When we say that God is compassionate, it is not just words but the truth. The expression of compassion has to happen. Creation showers compassion on society. At different times God comes in different names, forms and qualities.
It is there in all religions - Jews are waiting for their messiah. Christ said that He will return again. So, Christians are still waiting. Prophet Mohammed came and left. People are still waiting for Buddha and Krishna to return.
I would say, don’t waste time waiting. Explore the depth of your Being and you will realize that the Supreme Consciousness is not someone coming in the future but is here, now. Faith in this knowledge is the sign of a seeker on the spiritual path.
People fight in the name of God and the messiah. Feeling the presence of the Divine is the art of living.

Q: It is said that there is a different Veda (scripture) prescribed for every individual. What is the connection and how does it work?Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: At one time, people had divided Vedas into branches. Each group chose a different branch and learnt them by heart to continue the practice and preserve the knowledge in its pure form.‘Tripathi ‘was used as a title for someone who has mastered three Vedas. ‘Dwivedi‘was used for someone with knowledge of two Vedas and ‘Chaturvedi ‘for a master of the four Vedas. It was a title like MS and MD. One had to read at least one branch of the Vedas. There is a connection of Vedas with families but you can choose to study any.

Q: What does the symbol of Natraja signify?Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:Natraja is a very beautiful symbol of the union of nature and the Divine. Natraja holds fire in one hand, representing the fire element. A damru* in his other hand depicts the space element. Many forces in the universe are represented by a shape similar to that of a damru, like a chromosome, or shapes of galaxies and so on. Time also is said to have a conical representation. ∞ is the symbol (shape of the damru) which represents infinity.
Shiva’s hair is open and flying representing the air element. One foot on ground symbolizing prthvi (earth element), another in the air. One hand is the symbolic abhaya hasta offering protection and the other points to his feet symbolizing surrender. With one foot already in the air, he has already taken a step towards the devotee. He says “You are dear to me” even before beginning.
Even in the Bhagwad Geeta, Lord Krishna says to Arjuna - “You are very dear to me”. When you know that you are dear to someone, there is trust and love arises in the heart.
Shiva is dancing. Life should be like this. If both feet are stuck in the ground then you cannot dance. Even to walk you need to take one foot up.The entire creation is full of blissThe entire creation is dancing in blissThe entire creation is longing for blissNatraja represents the Ananda Tattva ( bliss) that the whole world is longing for. Every atom in the world is filled with the potential for action yet it is at peace. Shiva, the principle of infinite peace and bliss is not inert. It is peaceful, yet dancing.
Underneath his feet, there is Apasmaar**. He is standing with his foot on top of desires. If desire eats us up then we are in trouble. Only when we rise above desires and we are dancing on it, then it is a dance of joy and bliss. This is not just imagination. This is the truth. This energy awakens within us and we rise in dance. This is true. The Divine energy pervading the entire creation is eternally dancing.

Q: Please explain about the Chidambara rahasya.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Chidambaram is the place of Shiva symbolizing the akash tattva (the principle of space). Space is formless. In the sanctum sanctorium of this temple, there is a veil. Beyond the veil there is nothing, empty space. We can only know the secret of Shiv tattva by going within.
There are three types of space that is described. Bhutakash – the physical body, Chittakash – thoughts and emotions andChidakash – the vast, Supreme Consciousness. The life-force energy is awakened in the Chidakash. The secret of theChidambara can only be experienced through self-effort on the spiritual path.

Q: What is the difference between Shiva and Krishna?Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There is no difference between Shiva and Krishna. The soul of Krishna is Shiva. When Shiva manifests in the world and expresses all the kalas (units of consciousness) is Krishna.
The Brahmakumaris say that Shiv baba gave the Bhagwad Geeta. This Song (Geeta) can arise only from the space of Shiva through the body of Krishna.
*a small conical musical instrument
**a demon representing ignorance